You barely open your eyes. There’s light out there. You have an estimation on where you are, even if you’re not completely sure. What time is it? No idea. You tilt your head to the side, and there it strikes. Pain in your head. A dry feeling in your mouth. The more you think about how bad you actually feel, the worse this nauseous feeling becomes, up to the point of needing to throw up. Hangover.

There’s nothing better than a good night out at the bars, having a few shots, dancing and playing. And here’s the good news: The morning after doesn’t need to be as bad as I just described above! This is an account of how I beat hangover every single time, and how you can do it, too.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This article is considered entertainment only and shall not be considered medical advice. Consult with your physician before trying out any of these tips below, or before taking medication. Be aware that alcohol is a harmful substance, especially for pregnant women. Taking alcohol together with medication may have dangerous side effects. Be also advised that even if you don’t experience feelings of hangover, you are very probably still intoxicated and shall not operate cars or machinery.

All the legal stuff done, here’s what I did. And it took me a long time to figure out.

The first ones are pretty obvious, but nevertheless required in order to make the trickiest one work! So be prepared to do it all!

1) Stay with one type of drinks.
This is an old rule that still holds true. Never mix drinks too much. If you’re having beer, stay with beer. If ou drink rum, stick with your Cuba libres during the night. Mixing up things turns your stomach into a sticky, ugly mass that has no other purpose than to come up again soon.

2) Drink plenty of water.
Alcoholic drinks tend to strip our body of liquids and salts. Ever noticed the amount of times you go for a pee during drinking? It’s not because of all that beer. Alcohol squeezes the water out of body cells, and you let it all out in the loo. So to keep a good electrolytic balance, wash down your whiskeys with a glass of water every now and then.

3) Eat.
Eating good stuff during drinking gives your stomach something to work on, and helps maintain digestion. Don’t eat too much, but a small snack at midnight is certainly good for you.

4) Do my little medical trick.
If you do the three before, you might be a little better in the morning but may still be hung over pretty bad. It’s not enough. What worked for me is a little trick I learned from a physician, and it involves medication. But hell, it works for me in 10 out of 10 cases.

Before I go to bed, I take a combination of two things. First, I wash down one Alka-Seltzer with water. This gives back all the minerals and electrolytes. Then, I take a pill called Sedalmerck (may vary by country). This is a very basic painkiller (analgesic) made out of Paracetamol, Caffeine and Phenylephrine. It somehow dilutes blood and increases detoxification, but I am not sure about the exact mode of action. I have also tried some other combinations using Propyphenazone instead of Phenylephrine. The effect is the same.

One pill is usually enough. I wash it down with water, and then go to sleep. And I wake up like new – no headache, no nausea, no fatigue. It works like magic. Be aware that ,anufacturers of these pills do not recommend their use together with alcohol, though. So be sure you ask your doc before you try this. I can only say that for me it works!